Homenewsitems Spanish King calls to Help Peace in Refugees/Migrants' Countries of origin (while Events accelerate)

Spanish King calls to Help Peace in Refugees/Migrants' Countries of origin (while Events accelerate)

Written by ACM

Thursday, 27 April 2017

*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- The young King of Spain, addressing CoE's Parliamentary Assembly, launched a Call for European Politicians to Try to Help Peace in the Countries of Origin of most Mass Asylum Seekers/Irregular Migrants (f.ex. Syria, etc), in order to Facilitate their Return in normal conditions.

Unexpectedly, this Natural move came in the middle of an Exceptional,Unprecedented "Hot" Context inside the CoE, about Other (but Indirectly Inter-Related) Issues (See Infra).

- "Europe has nowadays a responsibility to deal with Huge Displacements of persons, Refugees and Migrants who Flee War, Terrorism and Extreme Poverty, as far as our means allow", he observed from the outset.

=> Therefore, we Must Do whatever we can, in order to Prepare the Conditions that would Allow them to Return to their Homelands", he urged.

- "This passes by putting an End to the Conflicts and by Setting the Bases for the Military Clashes to be transformed into Political processes opening a way towards Democratic and Inclusive Societies, which do Not harm Life and/or Freedom", he concluded on this crucial point.

But, while the Young Spanish King was Warmly Welcome in Strasbourg, both by MEPs and by All the Leadership of the CoE, (as their Massive Presence, f.ex., at a Social Event organized here just after that Plenary Session, (Comp. relevant Photo),

on the Contrary, an apparently Different, but eventualy interlinked, Exceptional Incident, which suddenly Surfaced this Week in Strasbourg, raised various related Questions :

- CoE Assembly's President, Pedro Agramunt, who is a Senator from Spain, has just been strongly Accused, by a number of various Other MEPs, after he Met with Syrian President Bashar Assad recently.

In an Unprecedented, Hasty Move, a lot of Heavy Pressure was put on him, reportedly, to "Resign", many among those MEPs feeling unsatisfied by Formal and Public Excuses by PACE's President, who was obliged to call that move as a "Mistake".

The formal Point seems tp be not so much that Agramunt met Assad, but that he allegedly did so withOut having, previously, Informed the Other Top Members of the Assembly, (from times to times meeting in a Closed Doors format called "Bureau"), and, according to some sources, not even clearly and promptly enough, afterwards, until several among them heard about in the Press.

Several Critics appeared Upset also by the Fact that such a Meeting with Assad reportedly took place thanks to a Russian Military Airplane.Such Critics want for CoE Assembly's President to immediately Resign, in order for them to Appoint a Vice-President as acting Chairman-in-office for the Following Months, until a New President may be regularly Elected by CoE's Plenary Assembly, as normaly foreseen, on January 2018.

Now this obviously raises Questions at least as far as COE's traditional and official pro-Peace stance and principles are concerned : Particularly "Dialogue" and "Political Discussions", instead of Violent and too often Deadly Armed Conflict, is, notoriously, routinely supported by the CoE, as a matter of General Principle.

So that it shouldn't be so much the mere Fact of Meeting Assad, which makes problem, since the Quest for Peace in Syria should, normaly not only Excuse, but even Stimulate for such Moves, interpreted as Atempts to Help Poliical Dialogue, instead of the pursuit of Deadly Armed Conflict, should be at the Heart of CoE's Diplomacy.

This Strange Issue hasn't, no more, any real relation to the Controversial circumstances of the Tragedy which reportedly Killed Dozens of People, including many Children, near the Islamist Rebel-held Syrian City of Idlib, at the Beginning of April 2017, for which some notoriously Accused the Syrian Army to have thrown a Deadly Chemical Gas, which is strictly Prohibited, while others replied that Syrian Airplanes had just hit a Factory of the Islamist Rebels/Terrorists stocking Chemical Gas used for Bombs in Syria and Iraq, whose dispersion may have provoked Deaths. A Brief Report reportedly presented by unnamed Security "Inteligence" to the White House for New US President Don Trump, (who, Shocked by the Horrible spectacle of Dead Kids, notoriously ordered a Massive Towhawk Missiles' strike againts a key Syrian Government Military Airport immediately), as published, Later-on, by "New York Times", does not seem so clear, nor sufficiently convincing, and has been rapidly Contested by various Critics throughout the World, including a Senior American Scientist, specialist and Professor at M.I.T., who replied by a Detailed, Facts-Based Counter-Report Denouncing many concrete Shortcomings, judged "Surprizing" and Unacceptable Errors or Ommissions.

Nevertheless, that Tragedy was notoriously Exploited to Accuse, Slander and Strike against Syria even without real Proof (Comp. Supra), while, on the Contrary, the reported Mass Killing of More than 100 Civilians (and 2 Times More Children than the previous incident !), Traped and Massacrated by Islamist Terrorists inside Busses used for Exchange of Populations between isolated Villages from each side, just a few Days Later-on, did not, apparently, trigger protests among those same circles...

But, at any case, that CoE-related, Controversial Meeting, had, reportedly, taken Place already Before April, (in fact on March 2017), so that the Idlib tragic incident was Totaly Unknown and Non-Existant at the Moment that Agramunt met Assad.

And concerning the Different Point about, allegedly, Not Informing previously, and/or not suficiently or adequately even even afterwards, Agramunt reportedly Replied that he had simply Participated in a National Delegation of Spanish Senators invited by their Russian counterparts, and Not as the President of CoE's Assembly as such.

- However, if you are elected by a Collective CoE's body in order to represent it as its President, then, you are Always expected to do so in any Political Meetings, at any circumstances, (except only Private dealings, f.ex. a Birthday Anniversary, etc), and, then, you have to Inform adequately and Timely the Assembly, told "Eurofora" CoE Assembly's President of the "Euro-Left" Group of MEPs, Dutch Senator Tom Cox, dismissing as irrelevant the Fact that CoE Assembly's Members - Contrary to EU Parliament's MEPs - are Also National Representatives of their Country's National Assembly or Senate, at the Same Time, i.e. holding a "Double" Mandate, in parallel.

+ Nevertheless, given also the Fact that the Next CoE Assembly's President (Comp. Supra) is expected to be (from January 2018) a Socialist, according to a Traditional Agreement among the Political Groups, while, on the Contrary, it's "Not Certain" yet who -and/or from Which Political Group - might be that Vice-President who could, Eventualy, replace the Christian-Democrat/EPP current President Agramunt, IF he Accepts, perhaps, to Resign immediately Now, (as Chairman Cox explained to "Eurofora"), then, obvious Questions about any possible Political Motivations, at least of Some among the Critics, emerge :

- Independently of any eventual afterthought, of some, perhaps about Boosting War-Mongering and Blocking any Attempts to seek Dialogue for a Political Solution of the bloody Conflicts in Syria, (which, Obviously, canNot be Excluded a priori Entirely), recent Facts indicate that there Might be even More :

>>> Indeed, as "Eurofora" learned Yesterday, by the President of CoE Assembly's Social Affairs Committee, a New, Important Report about the Highly Controversial issue of "Human Genetics", has just been Adopted by that Committee, on Tuesday, in Strasbourg, and is due to be Debated in Public for Final Adoption by Vote of CoE Assembly's Plenary Session of the Summer, "on June" 2017.

++ In Addition, also anOther Topical Report on BioEthics, about "Artificial Intelligence" New Technologies, has already been scheduled for Public Debate and Final Vote by the present CoE Assembly's Plenary "Spring 2017" Session, Tomorrow, Friday, April 28, in the Morning, after 10 a.m.

But, Agramunt's surprizing immediate "Resignation" is reportedly demanded by Critics, already for even Earlier than that : I.e. at a "Bureau" Meeting, Tomorrow Morning, from 8.30 a.m.!...

In pure Legal terms, the current President of the Assembly is Not Obliged to Resign, but an eventual "Lack of Confidence by the Assembly"s Majority (as Chairman Cox and Others said) might Push Hard, in real Practice.

=> So that an eventual political Elimination of the currently Elected ChristianDemocrat/EPP President of CoE's Assembly, Pedro Agramunt, could Abandon the Way to Handle 2 Highly Controversial Issues nowadays on "BioEthics" ("Artificial Intelligence" and "Human Genetics": Comp.Supra) to... 3 Socialist Rapporteurs (2 for "AI"e and 1 for Genetics), in Addition to, perhaps, even anOther Socialist (or Liberal, or Leftist, of RINO-Pseudo "Conservative") Vice-President for an "Interim" Acting Chairman-in-office to replace Agramunt, (Comp.Supra), Resultinng, may be at ... Four (4) Socialists (or Socialist-leaning) MEPs, with a quasi-Total Exclusion of any Important Player from the ChristianDemocrat/EPP Group !

As Other Experienced CoE's Officers had also told "Eurofora" earlier, at least that Second, "Human Genetics" Report seems to provoke Stronger and "Hotter" Debates in the Next Session of June, even More than Tomorrow's "ArtificialI " Draft.

Thus, regarding at least Both these 2 "Hot" BioEthical Issues coming, and Peace or War-mongering or Peace-seeking in Syria, etc. (Comp. Supra), apparently, an eventualy Imposed "Resignation" of the incubent CoE Assembly's President, Experienced ChristianDemocrat/EPP Spanish MEP, Pedro Agramunt, immediately now, cumulates Too Much of Strange Factual"Coincidences", that an eventual Political Exploitation, Dangerous for Peace and/or Human Rights, does Not yet seem to be Totaly Excluded a priori...

...unless an adequate compromise Solution is found Early Tomorrow Morning (Comp.Supra).

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Scientific innovation joined to Faith for Human Rights, Eastern Partnership and fight against the Crisis, but above all, the need to overcome the "Crisis of Trust" from EU Citizens, are the main priorities for new EU Parliament's President, Polish Jerzy Buzek, that a 555-votes-strong majority of MEPs on July 14, Strasbourg made a living symbol of the fact that, 20 years after the fall of Berlin Wall (1989 - 2009) there is no more an Eastern or Western Europe, but only one Europe, as the head of the largest group of MEPs, ChristianDemocrats/EPP, Joseph Daul, stressed after the event.

Speaking later to a group of Strasbourg's Journalists, including "EuroFora", the new EU Parliament's President clarified his stance on concrete topical issues, as f.ex. that of Turkey's controversial EU bid, which was one of the main issues of the June 2009 Electoral campain, clearly won by his party of ChristianDemocrats/EPP : - "At present, Turkey does not fullfil none of EU conditions", he stressed, (See infra).

Buzek is well known in Strasbourg and to "EuroFora" as EU Rapporteur for the Framework Program of Scientific Research and Development of Technologies. A Natural Science Professor from the Historic and Religious landmark Polish City of Częstochowa, active in the famous Solidarnosk grass-roots social movement, he served 4 years as Prime Minister (1997-2001), before being elected as MEP in 2004 and 2009, after he brillantly won the latest EU Election at the head of his party (EPP) almost doubling the number of its MEPs from 15 to 28 !

- "Innovation" and "Energy safety", as well as fight against the "Cimat change", but also "Eastern Partnership", the "Mediterranean", "Strategic partnerships" with Russia, the USA, etc, and the search for "solutions to the Economic Crisis" that EU Citizens "expect" from us, will be his "priorities", announced from the outset the new EU Parliament's President, reminding also that the quest for "Human and Civic Rights" played an important role in his experience with the Solidarnosc grass-roots social movement in Poland's History

But, the most important of all, is the urgent need to overcome the "Crisis of Trust" between EU Institutions and the People he stressed : - EU "Citizens often don't understand us", denounced Buzek, launcing a call to "do anything for EU Citizens to understand our work" in EU Parliament : "We (MEPs) need to make EU Citizens involved" in "what we are doing every week, in Strasbourg and Brussels", he proposed. Pointing f.ex. to the hot "Debates" with "strong arguments" exchanged between MEPs during the preparation of their Legislative Decisions, in Committees, delivering often hard struggles between initially opposed points of view, long before forging a majority at the final vote, sometimes more than a year..

Therefore, EU Parliament will be "open to your criticism, for discussion and exchange of views", he promissed to Journalists in Strasbourg.

In this way, Buzek, in fact, highlighted "EuroFora"s main idea, that we strongly advocate since 1997-2007, to systematicaly and actively involve EU Citizens in public debates during the decision-making process of important EU measures, which affect their lives and the society in which they live, (and not only just a few weeks each 4 or 5 Years at the eve of EU Elections)... -------------------- This is related also to the symbolic gift that Buzek chose to give to the out-going former EU Parliament's President, Hans Gert Poettering, (2007-2009), his collegue in the ChristianDemocrats/EPP, who brillantly won 2009 EU Elections in Germany : A genuine statute of sainte Barbara crafted in Silesia's black Coal by Polish Miners : Those simple but strong people who fought for social change against some technocrats and bureaucrats disguissed into so-called "real-socialists" of old times. (PHOTO).

It's enough to have seen a popular open air mass, at Warsaw's center, with many thousands of people, old and young, simple workers and intellectuals mixed together, with references to Poland's history and struggles for survival and liberty, through various ages, (as fex. that organized at the eve of CoE's 2005 panEuropean Heads of State and Government for the beatification of late Pope John-Paul II), in order to understand what such symbols mean..

But, overcoming the "Crisis of Trust" with EU Citizens obviously implies also to rectify any errors done in the past, fex. on Turkey's controversial EU bid, with controversial decisions taken in 1999 and 2004 to give a "candidate" status and to start EU negotiations, provoking an unprecedented series of 3 "No" to EuroReferenda and 3 Majoriy Abstentions in EU Parliament Elections : 1999, 2005 and 2009, (even if the latest one succeeded to decelerate and almost stop the drop of participation rates, opening hopes for vote's revival after an electoral campaign clearly critical to Turkey's claims in several mainstream EU countries)

Therefore, Buzek was faced with manifold critical Questions on EU Enlargement, most of them citting concrete examples of certain political problems : But his replies were almost always given as a matter of general principle :

F.ex. Questioned on the suspension of EU - Croatia talks because of a Border conflict with EU Member Slovenia, Buzek prefered to speak about principles :

- "We know that during Enlargement, the process can be blocked by failure to resolve this kind of issues", This concerns also other enlargments' cases", and "these rules are always in force" he warned.

But Buzek avoided to directly reply to a queston on "French and German EPP' calls to define the Borders of Europe", as a German journalist asked him by making a reference to French President Nicolas Sarkozy, and German Chancellor Angie Merkel's, critical statements on Turkey at the June 2009 Electoral campain.

- "Concerning Enlargement, there's always the same rules : There have to be Criteria, which have to be respected if a Country wants to join the EU", he started to simply reply.

- "For my country (Poland) it took us 15 Years to fullfil these Criteria", Buzek reminded, indicating, if proportions are kept, that Turkey, fex. would have to spend some 25 years before eventually joining the EU..

- "Countries wishing to join the EU need to Change their Systems", as we (Poland and other former Eastern European Countries) did, he stressed.

- "'For me, meeting the condition of Human Rights is one of the Key conditions for membership in the EU", preferring again to speak from the point of view of General Principles, on the occasion of an untimely question on Serbia (which is not even a candidate yet)...

- "Turkey" has, "first of all", to fullfil (EU) Copenhagen criteria". Bevause, currently, none of them is fullfiled by Turkey", New EU Parliament's President, denounced, speaking later to a group of Journalists, including "EuroFora".

In particular, on Human Rights : - "We (EU) can never forget Human Rights", because "this is at the very Foundations of the EU", Buzek added.

On the contrary, when he referred to EU Enlargment for the "Western Balkans Countries ", Buzek appeared upbeat, finding "promising situations", despite "difficulties" in the Past, since "Countries are queuing to become EU members", and this "generated changes", as he said.

As for Russia, Buzek observed that it was a "very important" country, located "in the same Continent", Europe, "close to our borders", and "we need eachother". "But Russia' has 'differend poblems : "They claim that their system is Democratic, but rules are differend", and we must be "aware of such differencies", fex. "on Human Rights", that we can't ignore, as he said;

Concerning China, where a journalist observed that the recipient of EU Parliament's latest "Sakharov prize" for freedom of thought is "still in prison", Buzek found that since the 1999 events in Tien Amin square, "we see differencies on Human Rights still today", and expressed his "support" for those who try to ameliorate the situation.

On the contrary, speaking recently to "EuroFora" he strongly supported the idea for an EU - Ukraine cooperation, fex. between Airbus and Antonov, in order to build a less costly but more performant than the old and problematic A400M, new Military Transport Airplane : - "They (Ukranian Antonov Company) can certainly do it. I'm sure they can. It's a good Idea, and I'd be glad if it was done", he told us. (See : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/airbusantonov.html )

(../..)

Polls

2009 EU Elections were won by Parties against Technocracy and Turkey's controversial EU bid, while the 1999-2004 Majority Abstention trend decelerated. What should be done in 2009-2014 ?

* My Media didn't clearly say which political positions won in 2009 EU Elections. It left it gray and confused.

* Respect People's Democratic Choices, by making EU less Technocratic, more open to EU Citizens' participation, and by rectifying 1999-2004's errors on Turkey's controversial EU bid, which blocked EU institutions in an unprecedented Crisis